The present invention relates to a high-viscosity eye lotion capable of exhibiting extended effectiveness over a long time when dropped in the eye. More particularly, the invention relates to a high-viscosity eye lotion prepared with a specific hydrated polymer gel as the base and a method for preparing the same.
Hitherto, when extended effectiveness of an eye lotion is desired or a sustained-release eye lotion is to be used, it has been usual in the prior art therapeutics to prescribe an eye salve prepared with a white vaseline as the base or carrier medium. These vaseline-based eye salves are defective because of poor releasability of the active ingredients as well as poor stability of the curative effect over a long time after application to the eye. An improved eye salve has been proposed which is prepared with certain synthetic polymeric substances as the base (see, for example, "Yakuzai-gaku" (Pharmaceutics), vol. 19, No. 4, p. 17 (1959)). This kind of the base material has somewhat improved releasability of the active ingredients in comparison with vaselines but is deficient in wettability of the cornea. Furthermore, such a synthetic base material causes a feeling of foreign bodies to the patient when applied to the eye. Thus, no satisfactory sustained-release eye-lotion is available hitherto despite a definite need therefor in eye therapeutics.